Electric signal apparatus.



S REYNOLDS. ELECTRIC SIGNAL APPABA'IU S. 4 'Arrmonrol rmnn 1141:. 17, 1011.

. ratentedfA riz'a, 191-2 5 SHEETBAKEETL INVINTOR v 'W. s. REYNOLDS. ELBCTBIG SIGNAL APPARATUS. I A PPLIOATIQN FILED 5.3.17, 1911. V I 1 0233875, w Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

5 SHEET8-SHEET 2.

w. s. REYNOLDS. ELECTRIC SIGNAL APPARATUS. APPLIOLTIOI FILED IAB. 17. 1911.

"1,023,875. Patented Apr. 23,1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'w. s. REYNOLDS, ELECTRIC SIGNAL APPARATUS. APPLIUABIQN P'QED 1113.17, 1911.

1 v .ll 0

if Hi "esifrsiii STATES PA T" OFFICE:

" ILL 2'3. REYNDIfiS, 0F SHELBY, OHIO, ASSIG'N'OR TO THE AUIOCALL CGMIQANY, OTE

SHELBY, OHIO, A CORPORATION '91? QHII).

ELECTRIC SIGNAL APPARATU.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Fatented Ajpf 23i 1912.

Application filed March 17, 1911. Seriei Ho. 815M213.

news. that I, VVILI. S. REYNOLDS, a the United States, residing at unt Richlend, State of Ohio, "1 a eertein'new and useful 11m r 'i. in l lieetric Signai Apparatus, e the feilewing to be a full, clear, .33; escriptien of the same, such as will eihliie others Jilted. in the art to which 1.0 it. pertstine to make and use the same, reference be t0 the accompanying drawii. to .n a. part ef this specification. ention relates to apparatus for ectr belie er sounding alarms at istributeci points and has for ebject to produce an apparatus 11 1 which 5:51:11 be simple in eonand efficientand. reiieoie in Opera- 2e ether abject (if my invention is to similar: an apparatus of the character specibe p. ,iuced by means of a Hi or aierm devices, the ar- .tiways be produced even treilmg"mechanism tor another mieos features of novelty whereby mention is characterized will hereinbe 'peinted out with particularity 111 aims; but full. unierstanding of mi of various objects, inenui: rated and ethers, and.

F a perspective view of the corn 'ticn apparatus forming te system arranged in accoinpie a larger scale, a portion of the the casing being omitted more iion en iizie 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a seciiOil on i336 e of Hg. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectmn on tine which "312L151 or {alarms of different.

iliil that one of the sig-' nce with 111 invention. F i 2 a ian a. I, per )1} at 1mg.

{5 SikOWilli parts in 1;, (iii ferezit posi ion; i

g, we r w 011,211} (in-- iarged seaie, pea eievz tieisfenei partly in section, 53.10 eieteii; and Fig. 16 is diagram conneetiens.

- My invention relates in genera? ts the zip puret-us siiewn in the patent tn Van Horn 9861.835, granted fctobei: 12, anti, in some of its esnects may "be regzzrr core eve/merits themes. The

'nsteiiees is to make p es pose in bet to prerlu teneeusiy e; ehireiity of distributed paints in the "mefch enisn system more eempiete in. usefulness.

Referring first te 1 t0 o ings, A represents a box er casing having detaehahie cover B." The sever may be pre videti with a gieeeei Wiiitew 2i threngh whieii the working imits may be .Wec't. Journal-ed in the casing is it horizontal shaft C previde i with s series of disks 1'}. Any desired number; of disks, meet the parties hueenditions 01? service in any perticuier ease, be employed. The dLSii-S not required to be insulated from each othe? and. therefore they eenvenie bieti upon the suppertirig eheit by siip o t= ween ene ever .ierr; the

en isirs are grouped lifierentiy $110115 the series and also the number 011 the pre iections may differ ti: eug'iiout the eerie the number gro ing of projections on each of the disks ed to pro-time a (ieiiniteeede signal of any desireti character Whenever e. signaling circuit is completed by bringing a. eoiiyerating eentact piece into operative relation to one .ef the disks and the rotatable Contact mam her set in operation. The rotetabIe Contact member may be. actuated in any suitable manner, preterabh by means of a suitable motor F arranged Within the casing and connected with the shaft C. In the arrengeeode signals" er eierms.

merit. shown there is a spring motor, but I do not desire to be limited to this type.

G represents the contact piece which is adapted to cooperate with the disks on the rotary contact member and it conveniently made in the form of an arm having a widened portion g with a square extending through it.

H is a stationary shaft mounted in the casing parallel with the shaft Q and passsquare opening in the contact piece. The member G is therefore capableof being slid along the shaft H and may also be oscillated upon the same. I have found that the combination of the sou-are hole and round shaft permits the movable contact piece to slide very freely along the shaft and to be free from binding when itgrasped for the purpose of movbe member G has a handle which projects outwardly through a: eloiigated slot I in the casing. The upper wall of the slot is notched indicated at is, tl notches corresponding in number and in location to the of the rotary contact member. The inner end of the contact piece is provided with av heavy counterweight G so that the inner end of the contact piece always hangs down as far it can go. Upon the inner end of the contact piece is a yieldable contact finger L which is adapted to engage ivith the projections on each of the contact disks when the handle is moved into the notch corresponding to that disk. in Fig. 4 the movable contact piece is shown in its idle position, corresponding to the position which it occupies in Fig. while in it shown in a position opposite one of the disks on the rotary member. l has been In this latter position the handle broua it to rest within the notch corrcspm'ulhole g lifted by the counterweight until ing to he disl-I opposite which the movable contact piece lies; the contact linger L being in position to be engaged by the bias or projections (7. By means of the counter Wei 'hl. the contact finger is held positively in s oper tive position and the rotating; lugs or p 'i-ti can make a good nip-in -omar-l having to bear the with t weigh the entire hc contact linger may be variously formed but 1 I small dog pivoted e i'nger without 1 prei'er to make it in the form of a to the Fllilllfllllllfj arm as at (I and normab held at the forward limit of its movement by a small spring X; As the movable contact uuunbcr rotates projections on one of the disks engage with the contact linger and force it ba -l; against the tension of the small spring.

As soon tho as one oi the projections has passed tho;

finger, the lorwaid so as succeed ng n the to bring it into the path ol' the prowl-tum. zu'i'aufgouu nt sh 11 the motor spring again thrusts tbo lath-1" stop arm to pass by it. contact piece. l

tends constantly to actuate the rotary con tact member. In order to restrain the ro- "ary contact member when no signal is to be given or alarm sounded, I provide the shaft C with a radially projecting arm M which is adapted to be engaged by a movable abutment and thus hold the shaft against further rotation. In the arrange ment shown the abutment takes the form of an uprightbar 0 hinged at its lower end to a ho izontally slid-able bar 0. A bracket 0 on the horizontal bar limits the swinging; movement'of the upright bar in one direction. A spring 0, secured, at one end to the lower end of the member 0 and at its other end to a part of the casing, tends to hold the slidable bar in the position wherein the member 0 is clear of the end of the stop member MI The spring also serves to hold the member (l against the bracket 0' and thus hold the member 0 upright. The opposite end of the member O is bent up at a for engagen'ient with the lower cud of a lever l which is pivotally supported. on the :asing as at 7) at a point between its ends. The upper end of the lever P pr0- jects above the stationary shaft H. On one side of thc moyablc contact piece is fixed a wedge block (i which. when the Contact piece is moved into its idle position, enters behind the upper end of the lever l", as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4-. and swings the lever sullicicntly to cause the member 0 to be brought into the path of movement of the stop arm on the rotary member. jsl hen the movable contact piece is shifted into one of ills working; positions, the wedge member passes from behind the lever l and the spring 0 returns the parts to the positions indicated in Fig. (3; the member 0 being now clear of the path of movement of the stop arm. it may happen that the movable contact piece is brought into its idle position just a her the stop has come intoealine ment with the upper end'o'f the al'ultment niemliier. injury to the parts is prevented, when this occurs, by reason of the tart that; the spring; 0 permits the member to yield as indicatod in Fig. 7. thus permitting the As soon as the stop arm clears the abut mcnl' member, the spring returns the latter to the position indicated in 5 so that. after the rotary member has ((illll-Dlflltll almostanother revolution, l'liu slop arm strikes upon the upper end of tho abutment member as indicated in Fig. 4

it is olten desirable signal or sound to produce a eneral it gonna! alarm, int upendvul ly of the code signals or alarms produced by the controlling mechanism which I have just dcst-ribcd. instances of general signals or alarms are those which indicate a tire, opening and closing hours, and the like. It is desirable that such general alarms or signals be eli'ected without du 'ilicating the Wirthe Signal or alarm devic'es which oyai for code purposes heretw ined. To thisend I have proviiisd ."inniii. controlling niechani m winch opihe sania CiI'C'aliiiS tiis nthar but dominates the, iaiztei' Si} signal an aiai'm wiii iiiwiys take even though boih (if can operatinn at the same iinie. i signaling DUI'PQSGS I have nn the shaft C an additimmif i di.-.-i: D provided with lugs 01" pro i-ectiitinsi d of any suitable form and arrange-- in. apparatus as iiiiis'fmied, the .iieir D is in the form (if an. Ordinary 4 when the teeth serving as Contact n'ii'iera. A seconii movai'ile. eonizwt pie ce Q, is siidiibiy msunted in the casing adja i in the (iisk D. The member Q ia are d with a. contact finger r} correspon ing i we finger L. The normal posiiimi of tha :nmnibni Q, is that illustrated in Pig; 5, 911% wntact f s being. out of engagement with pmjeflions on the coiiperating "hen dw 'ed, the member Q. may be pushed Didi? z a? a. push rad R or eiectromagiahe member Q, may we held yieki- F im'ierimust position by means of diefid ball Q, which .adsipb inks a. sneiaat g in ihe'top 1" Q, iniiimteai in Fig. a the memiwr Q. fmn'i being nndenthe action pf ihe teeth disk as they Wipe past 5116 moving Um nieiizber Q, siessiiy I have pmviieii an elec inatnrn 8 ext znrmss mnm'bei' in 1 B, eiectronm net is en i drawn in'wardiy and iiwmez 5 wiiii'i ns iniiieated iii se ngmg the vlei; finger I ve revided I a uiz-ch is 21.,41pii i tn *eizii Q which projects fori w my "w release he lflill'y cnhim min? it a time the member Qir; pin-hm im'ai'iiiy and this may eiiiic-r aw cii'z'n iiisiiusd by sliding the niemiim' into (me of in; wm'king pnsiiium or vi cmoznagy xii For i'deasing the i'ni'gii'y mnijaii't \Imi' fjiifii'lfihlflglifit108iiy i have 'vidmi nu clwiii'uniagmt T fm'which t1 mimtilliiii im-m limfl'l') sefvvs, as an armature. \i'iwn ii iii desired in ruimiz-iu i'iie stop min fmm the zilmhnvnit Wlkiii} the CHliL-Jji, piece H wnminr; in its idle position U19 viuci'romagnet T is eim'gizo'i and draws the memhm 3 from the position indicnieid in F g. flint indicated in Fig. 7. in will them Ewe be 50011 that whenever ialectl'mnagnets min the positic n indicated in Fi'j'.

S and T are. simniizmenusiy enei gizeci, ihe eoniact piece Q. Wiii. be pushed inii'znbdiy nn til ii'si finger is in operative ieiaiion to ihe tiis D. and Hie rotary contact member will 1 i ased and be set in mofion by in; motor. The disk will tin-n in the vunni'ei'ciiwin t! a sinp arm ni'i-iiis the abutment. If the circuits-- tile eiecti'ni'nagnem shnuiifi, 110W- ever, have remained ens the contamt pines Wiii again be drawn iurward as sonn as the pin nut, cf the Way and the will continue to be given {inning another? revuiutionwf the rotary member.

The ei eoiroinagnei 8 anti '3. may be contmiieri in rinn: ways; They are preferably included in s in circnii 'viiicii cniitmiiec i35 F) suiiafliib mwiich which ni r "z ieii to be ng ieriitezi iriannaiiiy an. by a 210m.

Wk-ape a spring mining is .258% for tha roi'iiiy Contact nmnnei." there is (Kangathat the wimiin in; mm; n lecteci s0 innit we moms win I while iii: app rains walking.

dent that the Wiii ship at point where 1i niacin i'esisi maze and f provide in iiie sigmiiing cia'cui a. safeiy snitch which in under the. cnniroi of the motor? am? which spans the (ZiK'CiZiil before motor can run down. Th'; swii'cii is most sieziifiy Shawn in ig and 3 being indiczi'tiad a Ii'ni f8-bi2d BWilC H iiiiving momhie mam i Jim nimthe motor spring the inotmruns dawn the dizlmeieir 0i? i113 spring increases and finally the movable switch member shifted thereby niil it out 0i Engagement With the stationary switch member 1a..

In Fig. I have. Show one arrangement c-f circuit cannecuinns which may be emplnyed. There is a 1003i. circuit for the magnets S and T and aisl.) a Meal circuitwhiuh directly controls the main signaling circuit. This permits the use (if :i small and a heavy current far actuating or nonof iiie pnszsibiiiiy that snmaiiiingg will burn out. Tn prevent dang-gar ii'vm this snnrce X- cnrrent through the controlling apparatus deenergi" d, ihe disk coniinnes in ililil'l nniii .forms part trolling the actual signal devices. Referring to Fig. 10, V represents a conventional bell which I have shown as an example of any signal or alarm which it may be desired to employ. Current for operating the signal is talren from wires V and V these wires leading from a lighting circuit, a power circuit or some other suitable or convenient source. 'W isa relay for closing the circuit through the signal device. X is a battery or other suitable source of current for energizing the coil 10 of the relay. One terminal of the battery is connected to one terminal of the relay and the opposite terminal of the battery is connected by wire 1 to the switchU. From the switch U a con ductor including a resistance N extends to the rod or shaft H. The other terminal of the relay coil is connected to the motor F by means of a wire 2, the motor and the shaft. C being in electrical connection with each other so that no further conductors are required to complete the circuit from .the motor to the rotary contact member. It will be seen that whenever the movable contact piece G is shifted so as to bring its contact finger into operative relation to one of the contact disks, a circuit will be established from the battery through wire 1, through the switch U, through the resistance N,

shaft H contact iece G the rotar contact a P 5 Ii "member, the motor, wire 2, the coil w of the relay and back to the battery. Conse-' quently the relay is'energized and the signal set in operation. As the rotary contact member revolves, the circuit is interrupted and completed and again interrupted, successively, as one projection after another wipes past the finger on the member G. Therefore, as long as the controller remains in operation the relay will be energized and dc'onergized so as to operate the signal through a series of cycles each of which of a predetermined code" the whole code being represented by the differ nt cycles which may be obtained throughout the Whole series of contact disks. For signals of a general character the same relay and signal device or devices are employed. The elcctroma miets S and '1 are arranged in series with each other and with a. battery Y in a circuit controlled by a suitabl v swi ch Z. The switch Z, as heretofore explained, may be actuated manually or b means of a suitable program clock. actuating circuit for the magnets S and T is simple and can easily be traced, so I. shall not describe the wiring 'in detail. The local signaling circuit is the same for general signals as the one heretoLore described except that from switch U a branch 3 leads to the contact piece Q. \Vhen the member G is in its idle position the local signaling circuitis the same as heretofore des'cribed except that from switch U the current passcs to The wire 3, to contact piece Q, and thence to the rotary contact member. Consequently as the rotary contact member revolves the.circult is made and broken as one tooth of the disk D after the other comes into engagement with the contact finger g. It may sometimes happen that the general signal is to be given at the time the other controlling devices are in operation. As I have hcretofore explained, it is desirable that the general signal shall prevail regardless of the other controlling mechanism. The purpose of the resistance N is now clear. If the contact piece G is in a working position at the time the controlling mechanism for the general signal is brought into play, two par allel circuits exist between the switch U and the rotary contact member. The resistance of the branch which contains the contact piece Q is negligible while the branch which includes the contact piece G contains the re sistance N. This resistance is not great enough to interfere with the operation or the relay in the ordinary use of the men'iber G but-it is sutlicient. to reduce the current which passes through the member G when both of the movable contact pieces are in working positions so that control of the relay is taken away from the member G.

While I have illustrated and described only a single preferred form of my invention, and one combining all of the various novel features ofmy invention, I do not desire to be limited to a device embodying all such features in combination with each other or the particular structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which fall within the terms employed in the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

3.. In an apparatus of the character tescribed, a rotatable contact member, means for rotating said member, a stop on said member, an abutment mounted on a fixed support adjacent to said member, a movable contact piece having an idle position and one or more positions wherein it engages with said contact member, and means associated with said contact piece for moving said abutment into the path of said stop when said contact piece is brought to its idle position.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a rotatable contact member, means for ro toting said member, a stop on said member, an abutment for engaging with said stop, a movable contact piece having an idle po sition and one or more positions wherein it engages with said contact member, and means associated with said contact piece for moving said abutment into the path of said stop when said contact piece is brought to its idleposition, said abutment being yieldable i'n a direction trensverse to that bortion "of the path described by the stop While in the vicinity of the ebntment. I i

in an apparatils of the-class described, a rotatable contact member, 'a stop arm pro-- jecting from said member, an abutment monnted on a fixed support adjacent to said member movable across the paih of said stop arm, a movable contact piece hav ing an idle position and onoor more posi (Jone "wherein it engages with ci'mtecl; member, and means on said :u'in for moving said abutment into the pethof said arm when said contact piece is brought into its 14' idle position.

4, In an apparatus of the class described, a rotatable contact meml'ie a stop pifojecb ing from said member, a sliding bar, on abutment ljiivctcd to oai'd bar so to swing in the plane of movement of said stop, a spring for holding said abutment at one end of ils L vein on said her, ahiovablc comm, picoelmh ifi/liddge pcsiii in and. one more po .ons wherein it with said contract Kii'flllbfil, Lend [minding a Wedge on acid cox-deco for moving said her into a position piece to bring said abutment into the peih of said step when the contact piece is brought into the idle position. v

5, In apparatus of the chanectei" do" no scribed, a rotatable contact member, operating Contact piecehaving i sition and one or more Wei-km posi astop on said member, a shdehly pcrted below the stop, an abutment hinged to the slide and projecting cowardly there from, a spring engaging the abutment and serving to hold the abutment upright and the bar at one limit of its movement, e icvci" loosely engaging said bar at one end end projecting gowcrd said contact piece at its other end, end a wedge device on-seid con tact piece arranged to engage with. said lever when the contact piece approaches its idle position for the purpose of moving the bar against the tension of the spring to bring the abutment in the path of said stop. I 6. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, :1 rotatable contact device, means for rotating said contact device, a coopcrating contact piece, means for moving said contact piece into engagement with the rotatable contact, device, and means on said device for throwing said contact piece out of engagement therewith.

7 In an apparatus of the character he scribed, :1 rotatable contact device, means for rotating said contact device, a, cooyen siting contact piece, means for moving sci I contact piece into engagementwith the 1otateble contact device, and means on device for throwing said contactpiecc out of engagement therewith at a predetermined 55 pointin the rotation of seid device.

8. In an apparatus of the chemct' scribed, a ioietablc contact device, for rotating said device, a l'QSLi.ii A for said device, a oodicmini" coin; means for simniteneouely mo tact piece into engogcincn and releasing" the lathe)? ii ing means, and means under the com said device for throwing the cont: 5, out of engagement said. dcvi e.

9. In an apparatus the chemo scribed, a rotatable coniiect member, meme for i'otating' said member, e slop on said member, an abutment, a movable contest piece having an idle poeiiio'n and or more positions wherein it enge i contact member, means w contact piece for moving seio abnln the path of siicn when said cool" path of the stop,

1'8. In an cppamfins of M1 scribed, e roieteble co nac-k for rotating said member, membei an abutment, a move piece having an idle poeition and o more positions Whcicm ii engages W said contact member, means osnociai'e contact piece for moving i the paih of said stop win said is brought to its idle poeitior a able contact pi c, and men. or Simi onsly moving said second 10 piece inf. onerativc' relation to said conieci; m hev and removing the said zzl'iuinien' o fom path of the stop, independently Oi. one cilh contact piece.

11. In an appointee oi the chereciec scribed, a rotatable contact member for rotating said member, 2. silomember, an abutment, av movable coioiaci piece having an idie posi -on and "one or more positions wherein it engages wiih said, contact member, means associated with said contact piece for moving abuiment into the path of said step when con'cac piece is brought to ifs idle position, a second mow able contact piece, manually-miteaicd means for moving said. second contact piece into operative relation to said com-act moi and electromagnetic means for einmh 11% ously moving said second contact pica operative relation to coma r v and removing the said abnimcii'. path of the stop independently of the oihes with eeid igo a portion thereof into two branches arranged in multiple with each other and each containing said contactn'iember and one of said contact pieces and a resistance in one of said branches having suificient resistance to prevent control of the signal by the contact piece in that branch when both branches are closed.

12-3. In an apparatus of the character described, a signaling circuit, two controllers connected in parallel in said circuit, and a device associated with saidrcontrollers for taking away control from one of said controllers when both are in operation at the same time.

1%. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a signaling circuit, two controllers for said circuit connected in parallel therein, and a resi tance in the branch of the circuit passing through one of the controllers for ta 'ing away the control from that controller contact pieces each I cation in the presence of two Witne of which is arranged to be moved into and out of engagement W'th. one of the said contacts, a signaling circuit connected in series with two parale branches each of which contains one of said contact pieces and its cooperat 1g contact, and a resistance in one of said branches for taking away the control from the coitact piece in that branch when both Contact pieces are in engagement with their coco ating contact at the same time.

16. In an apparatus of the character do scribed, a rotatable contact member, a co operating contact piece, a spring motor For actuating the said member, an e tact piece,and switch inechanisn'i in said (51! end arranged to open the circuit when the, motor has run down to a predeternnncd ilegree.

In testimony wheiew i I sign this spcciii- Wl LL REYNGLDFJ. Witnesses:

' (l. C. Tninnixn,

Enema Exec.

10 cir-i 'cuit containing said member and said can 

